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W. 0AH00N..J1-. GOIN GONTROLLBD, DICE THROWING MACHINE. No. 502,876. Patented Aug. 8, 1893 l gnou/woz (Mm.

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No. 502,876. Patented Aug. 8, 1893.

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W. CAHOON, Jr. com GONTROLLED DICE THRoWING MAGHINB.'

Patented'Aug. 8, 1893.

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y UNITED: STA-'rus A WILLIAM cAHooN, JR.,

PATENT OFFICE.

or NEW YORK, N. Y., AssIGNoR To 'wILLARD B. Y, roUNe, or SAME PLACE. Y

coiN-coNTRoLLED DICE-THRowING lvlAoHmE.v4

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 502,876, dated August 8, 1893.

5 Appiimion 6166 Meer 1s, 189s. semina. L1.66.606. (roman To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM CAHooN, J r., a citizen of the'United States, residing at New York, county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and 'useful Improvement in Coin-Controlled Dice-Throwing/Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had t0 the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the same.

This invention is an improved coin-controlled apparatusfor throwing dice.

The object of the invention is to provide one or more chambers or receptacles for con'- taining dice,-preferably a series ofreceptacles .each containing asingle-dief-and an easily manipulated mechanism which is adapted to tilt the said dice therein and then permit them to settle in position when they will be plainly visible.

The mechanism may be employed without reference to any preconcerted plan of throwing for special combinations of the dice, but it is designed for the particular purpose of playing a game known as poker dice, in which ive dice are used, and' three` throws allowed to each player, with the object of making all five show the same number, that is five aces, tive sixes, and so on, or certain other combinations which for the purposes of this case are purely arbitrary.

For the above reason the apparatus is made to contain five elongated compartments or receptacles normally held in a vertical or approximately vertical position, and each of which contains a die. These receptacles are mounted or supported on or by a rock-shaft or trunnions so astov be'capable of a sudden movement of oscillation of predetermined extent by which the dice are thrown vfrom end to end of the receptacles, undergoing a shaking similar to that to which they are subjected in an ordinary dice-box.

After a throw by the machine, a player may be satisiedwith' the numbers shown by two or more dice, and. desireY to. throw the same numbers with the remainingy dice insthe subsequent trials allowed him. I thereforepro- Vide each receptacle with a swinging trap or platform which may be turned down over a die and retain it in the bottom of its receptacle while the others are thrown. In this way any of the dice may be retained, and a means is provided-for releasing them all by a single operation when the throw is complete. The boxes or receptacles are shaken by the operation of a suitable device such as a pivoted lever or handle, in conjunction with which I employl a counterbalanced .locking mechanism adapted when weighted by a coin to release the said lever and permit it to be depressed once, twice or any predetermined number of times according to the character of the special devices employed. These improvements I shall now describe more in detail by reference to the accompanying drawings..

Figure l is a View in side elevation and part section of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same with a portion of the casing removed. Fig. 3 is an end View of the dice-containing boxes or receptacles. Fig. 4 is a detail of the locking mechanism. Fig. 5 is a detail of a device used in connection with the oscillating receptacles. Fig. 6 'is a front view of dice boxes with portions removed. Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical section of the same. Fig. 8 is a horizontal'section of Fig. 6, and Fig. 9 is a rear View of a portion of said boxes.

A A; are suitable supports on a base or bed plateA in which are mounted the shaft or the trunnions that carry a casting B, which is in the form of a shallow rectangular -box divided into five compartments by parallel and vertical partitions A. The front of this box is open and a plate of glass, mica or other transparent medium through which the dice may be readily seen is fitted over the front. Holes are drilled through the partitions at the points indicated, for the reception of rods C, which carry the shutters or plates C. These shutters are arranged so as not to obstruct the movement of the dice, exy cept when closed or'set.

The rods or spindles C extend through the casting or box- B on both sides, being'heldin position by the engagement of a slotted or notched plate D secured to the front of the box, the rods O being groovedfor this purpose as indicated in Fig. 7. The forward or front ends of the rods are provided with keys or handles C by which they are turned, and

IOO

their rear ends are squared as indicated in Fig. 9, and acted on by springs D', so that when turned to either open or close the shutters the springs will act to hold them in such positions. This is to prevent the movement of the shutters by the shock of throwing the dice box or boxes. A pin D projeetsfrom each rod C at the rear of the box and studs (l are set in a sliding-plate or barE that engages with said pins D when the bar is shifted by a crank E or similar device. This bar is held in place by a spring E, but after a throw or series of throws during which one or more of the shutters have been closed, the bar is shifted and opens simultaneously all the shutters that have been closed.

The position of the box in l'ront of the compartments in which the dice are held by the shutters may be inclosed by a narrow plate of glass or any other material, which may be separate from the main inclosing plate, or in one piece therewith, suitable holes being provided in either event for the rods C to pass through.

The mechanism for oscillating the dice boxes or receptacles and making the throws consists of a lever F pivoted to a standard F, which is secured to the base A. This lever is connected by link F with the end of a stud projecting from a crank T on one of the trunnions G of the dice boxes, so that the depression of the lever F oscillates the dice boxes, imparting thereto a movement that causes the dice to tumble back and forth through the receptacles in which they are contained. The up and down movement of the lever F causes the dice boxes to turn from the vertical position to the position indicated in Fig. 3, and rubber cushions are provided, as shown at G G Fig. 3, to receive the impact of the dice boxes when thus moved.

In order to control the operation of the lever F, I employ the following mechanism: I'I is a lever carrying at its end a narrow trough Il. This lever is counterbalanced so as to remain normally in a horizontal position,with the trough H presented to an opening in a chute II into which a coin may be dropped in a slot K. The lever II carries a bent Wire L the end of which, as shown in Fig. 4t, normally projects through a notch in a [lange M in a ratchet-wheel M mounted in a suitable manner at one side of the lever F. If a coin be dropped in the slot K it rolls along the chute K and falls into the trough H. This depresses the trough H by overbalancing the lever II unt-il said trough encounters a stud N on the lever F.

The coin is prevented from leaving the trough II by a plate N with which it comes in contact, but the downward movement is sufficient to lift the end of the bent wire L out of engagement with the flange M, and at the same time to raise the wire up through a slot O in the bottom of the chute K interposing it in the path of the coins and thereby preventing the insertion of a second coin While the lever H is depressed.

A pawl P acted on by a spring G is pivoted to the lever F and engages with the teeth of the ratchet wheel M. When, therefore, a coin has been dropped in the slot and the le ver H caused to release the ratchet Wheel, the lever F may be depressed, and this movement permits a still further movement of the lever II which permits the coin to drop out from the trough II through a slot O in the plate N and into a suitable receptacle provided for its reception. f

The movement of the lever F which effects the oscillation of the dice boxes turns the ratchct-wheel M through a given arc. As soon as the coin has left the trough Il the lever H falls back toward the horizontal position, and the end of the bent wire L falls on the flange M of the ratchet-wheel M. If a notch occurs at the point where the end of the wire encounters the iiangeM, the ratchetwheel is again locked and to release the lever F another coin must be dropped in the slot. But if it be desired to release the mechanism for two or more throws by a single coin, the notches will be out inthe flange M at the proper point for engagement with the wire L after the second or the third advancing movement of the ratchet M.

In order that the lever F and ratchet-wheel M should be moved through the proper distance for each throw, I secure to the trunnion Gr a segmental ratchet R, and to a fixed standroo ard I pivot a gravity or spring pawl S, the end of which drags over the ends of the teeth of the segmental ratchet. If the lever be only partially depressed and then raised or released, the ratchet-segment is engaged by the pawl m5 S and locked, so that the lever cannot be raised until it has made a complete movement. It` the movement of the lever be complete the segmental ratchet is carried beyond the pawl S, which will then simply drag over I 1o its surface on the return without checking its movement.

The apparatus which I have described as constituting my invention may be employed for throwing either the ordinary dice or other 1 15 similar devices, such as cubes or other blocks with figures or designs of any kind-displayed on their faces.

I am aware that mechanical dice-throwers are not new, and also that suoli devices have 12o been combined with coin-controlling mechanism, and I do notclaim broadly these features; but

What I claim as my invention is l. In a dice-throwing machine, the combi- 125 nation with a box or casting having a transparent front plate and divided by partitions into vertical die compartments and supported in suitable bearings by trunnions,`mechan ism for oscillating the said box or casting 13o from and back to a vertical position.

2. The combination with a box or casting mounted to oscillate on a horizontal axis and divided by partitions into vertical die compartments, of ahinged shutter in each comters for retaining the same in'either an open or closed position, and a bar or plate movable transversely to the said spindles and adapted to turn the same whereby all the shutters when closed may be simultaneously opened or raised, as set forth.

4. The combination with an oscillating box or casting divided by partitions into a series of die compartments and mounted on trunnions, of an oscillating lever and connections between said lever and the box whereby the same may be oscillated by the movement of the lever.

5. The combination with a series of oscillating die receptacles, of an oscillating lever, A connections between the same and the die receptacles, a segmental or mutilated ratchet moving with the die receptacles and a pawl adapted. to engage therewith and prevent the return of Said ratchet before it has made a complete movement, as set forth.

6. The combination with the oscillating lever of a dice-throwing machine, of a ratchet wheel, a pawl carried by the lever and engaging with said wheel, a coin-controlled locking and releasing lever, a stud or projection on the oscillating lever and in position to arrest the movement of the coin-controlled lever as soon as `thelatter has released the ratchet but before it has reached the point at which the coin is disengaged therefrom.

' WILLIAM CAHOON, JR. Witnesses: ERNEST HoPKINsoN, M. G. TRACY. 

